Phillips County is a rural county located in the north central part of the state, bordering Canada to the north.  Over 58% of land in Phillips County is classified as farm land. 

Overview

Population
4,074
County Size (acres)
3,289,889
Land in Farms (%)
58.9
Number of Farms
445
Median Farm Size (acres) 1,160
Average Farm Size (acres) 4,352

 

 

 

 

 

 
Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 1: County Summary Highlights: 2017

Farm Revenue

Farm revenue (which includes the market value of products sold, government payments, and farm-related income) were $95 million while production expenses were nearly $72 million.  Government payments were 9.9% of farm revenues.

Market Value of Products Sold
$74,636,000
Government Payments
$9,471,000
Farm-Related Income
$11,267,000
Total Farm Production Expenses
$71,743,000
Net Farm Cash Income $23,631,000



 

 

 

Source: Census of Agriculture: Tables 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6:  2017  

Taxation

The market value of all property in Phillips County was approximately $640 million in 2019.  The taxable value assigned by the Montana Department of Revenue was $16 million.  Agricultural Property (as defined by Montana Department of Revenue as Class 3 property) comprised 24% of the county's taxable value.

Property Tax Summary
2019
2014
Market Value of Property $640,665,783 $550,570,959
Taxable Value of All Property $16,675,347 $16,759,238
Taxable Value ofAgricultural Property $4,073,191 $4,361,845
Ag Taxable Value as % of All Property 24.43% 26.03%



 

 

 

Source: Montana Dept. of Rev. Montana Taxes by County in2018and Montana Taxes by County in2014  

Market Value of Crops and Livestock 

After adjusting for inflation, the market value of crops increased by 3%, while the market value of livestock increased by 32%, from 1997 to 2017.

 

Market Value of Crops and Livestock-Phillip County

Sources: Census of Agriculture: Table 1: County Summary Highlights: 2017 and St. Louis Fed Producer Price Index

Crops and Livestock

Cattle (64%) and grain (24%) comprised 88% of total crop and livestock sales in 2017.


Crops and Livestock-Phillips County

Source: Census of Agriculture:  Table 2: County Summary Highlights: 2017

Farm Size by Acres 

The percentage of smaller farms, less than 500 acres, decreased slightly from 36% to 35%, while the percentage of larger farms, 500 acres or more, increased from 64% to 65% from 2012 to 2017.

Farm Size
by Acres
2017
2012
Number of
Farms

%
Number of
Farms

%
1 to 9
20
4
30
6
10 to 49
31
7
36
7
50 to 179
45
10
50
10
180 to 499    
58
13
66
13
500 to 999
50
11
58
11
1,000 or more
241
54
267
53
TOTAL
445
100
507
100
Source: Census of Agriculture:  Table 2: County Summary Highlights: 2017

Farm Size by Sales

The proportion of total sales from the smallest farms with less than $100,000 in sales decreased from 64% to 59%, while the proportion of total sales from the largest farms with sales of $100,000 or more increased from 36% to 41% from 2012 to 2017.

Farm Size 
by Sales
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
Less than 2,500
90
20
139
27
2,500 to 4,999
24
5
19
4
5,000 to 9,999
37
8
25
5
10,000 to 24,999
42
9
42
8
25,000 to 49,999
38
9
52
10
50,000 to 99,999
33
7
48
9
100,000 or more
181
41
182
36
TOTAL
445
100
507
100

Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 1: County Summary Highlights: 2017  

Tillage and Land Use

The percentage of farms using reduced tillage or cover crops increased, while the percentage of farms using no till or intensive tillage decreased from 2012 to 2017.

Tillage
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
No tillage
95
21
142
28
Reduced tillage
48
11
32
6
Intensive tillage
72
16
96
19
Cover crops
25
6
26
5
TOTAL
445
 
507
 
Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 41 Land Use Practices
 

Producer Profile

The county producer population was younger than the Montana producer population. Forty-two percent of county producers were under 55 years of age, while 25% were over 65 years of age. Thirty-four percent of the Montana producer population were under 55, while 36% were over 65 years of age. Sixty-four percent of producers in the county were males, while 60% of Montana producers were males. Farming was the primary occupation for 59% of county producers, while farming was the primary occupation for 50% of Montana producers.

 

Characteristics
County
State
Number of 
Producers

%
Number of 
Producers

%
Age
18 -25
5
1
570
1
25 to 34
97
12
3,285
7
35 to 44
111
14
5,179
11
45 to 54
125
15
7,309
15
55 to 64
261
32
13,838
29
65 to 74
127
15
11,469
24
75 and older
81
10
5,587
12
Gender
Male
526
64
28,563
60
Female
296
36
18,673
40
Primary Occupation
Yes
483
59
23,847
50
No
339
41
24,314
50
TOTAL PRODUCERS
822
100
48,161
100

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 45 Selected Operation and Producer Characteristics 

Top Crops by Acre

The top crops were spring wheat, hay and haylage, lentils, peas dry edible, winter wheat, durum wheat, barley, canola, and chickpeas.

 

Tops Crops by Acre-Phillips County

 Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 1: County Summary Highlights: 2017

Top Livestock

The top livestock were cattle, sheep, and poultry (chicken and turkeys).

Livestock
Number of Head
Cattle
76,901
Sheep
2,829
Chicken - Layers
342
Turkeys
13

 

 

 

 

 
Source: Census of Agriculture: Tables 11 (Cattle) and 13 (Sheep) and 19 (Poultry)

Employment Impact

Agricultural production employed 822 workers, or 43% of the county’s labor force.  According to IMPLAN, economic impact model, 513 of the workers were directly employed in production agriculture.  An additional 271 workers were employed in businesses supporting agricultural production, such as feed and fertilizer dealers, and another 38 workers were employed in other related businesses, such as grocery and drugs stores. For every 10 jobs on farms and ranches, 6 additional jobs are generated in the county.

 

Impact Type
Labor Force
Impact Multipliers
County Labor Force 1,890  
Direct Impact 513
Indirect Impact 271 0.53
Induced Impact 38 0.07
Total Impact 822 0.60
Agriculture Share (%) 43  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov/#cntyaa and IMPLAN Estimates

Value Added Impacts

Farms and ranches generated $41.5 million of value-added, or 31% of the county’s total gross domestic product of $132 million in 2017.  According to IMPLAN, $24.9 million was directly contributed by farmers and ranchers.  An additional $14.6 million was generated by businesses supporting agricultural production and $2 million was generated by other related businesses.  Each dollar of value-added in agriculture by a farmer or rancher contributes an additional $0.67 of value-added in other sectors of the county’s economy.


Impact Type
Value-Added
($1 million)

Impact Multipliers
County GDP* 132.0  
Direct Impact** 24.9
Indirect Impact** 14.6 0.59
Induced Impact** 2.0 0.08
Total Impact** 41.5 0.67
Agriculture Share (%) 31  











Sources:  * St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, ** IMPLAN Estimates  

References


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